Open up your future career

Project description: The project encouraged young people to learn basic tools of project management and show them successful research practices. Young people who tie their professional career with research and academic work, do not have an opportunity to put their theoretical knowledge into practice. More important, such promising youth require someone who can systematize and put their aspiration in the right direction. According to Eurostat, in February 2017, 3.905 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU-28, of whom 2.722 million were in the euro area. Youth unemployment rates are generally much higher, even double or more than double, than unemployment rates for all ages. The economic crisis, however, severely hit the young. Using non-formal methods our organization encourage young people to develop their analytical, management and communication skills. Within the project we introduced young people to the research and project management activities in NGO sector and allow them to gain necessary skills and competences, which they can later on use in the professional job market.

The objectives of the activities are:

- to develop the volunteers' skills in regards to the multiple aspects of communication, project management and research on the local and European level;

- to systematize and share knowledge on opportunities for young people;

- to unite young activists and researchers for future activities;

- to promote the social inclusion of youth by their involvement in a wide range of projects;

- to reveal advantages and benefits of hiring young people in national and European labor markets;

- to facilitate dialogue between young people and potential employers on European level;

- to contribute to the dissemination of international volunteering as a means of strengthening international active citizenship.

The project's goal was to create a window of opportunity for young people at the beginning of their career. We believe that the assistance in capacity building of young people and the creating of awareness about advantages of having youth on board can contribute to sustainable development of society and promote education achievements. At the same time, the project's activities increased the sense of solidarity among youth and promote active participation in social life. Undoubtedly, creating a database of opportunities and spreading the project outcomes gave people with fewer opportunities (with social, economic and geographical obstacles) the chance to build own career.

Given the rapidly changing situation on a labor market, on the one hand, we promoted the lifelong learning process and necessity of education achievements among young people, on the other hand, by spreading the project results and showed the advantages of hiring young people we contribute to equity on a labor market and social inclusion of youth. We believe that the most important issue which can be addressed through this project is a preparation of young people to successfully join the job market by gaining necessary skills and competences.

Project funding: The Open up your future career project received from Erasmus+ EVS Volunteer Activities under contract number 2017-2-PL01-KA105-038975